Susan Orlean

I listened to an interview last week with author Susan Orlean on KERA, which is my local NPR station.  You can find the interview here. She has written two books that I have always wanted to read, but never have. During the interview, she mentioned how she always tried to read the winner of the Man Booker Prize. I can honestly say, I have not looked at this list as a way to find good literature. When I worked at the library, I would post the list on social media, but that was about it. Ms. Orlean said it was a good place to find excellent fiction. If you have read any of the books on the list, or have read any of her books, please let me know.

We did go to the library this week. During the holidays, the library stops regular story times. The librarians need a break and no one comes, so why do the programs? This coming week will be the last week we go to the library for story time until January. I didn't get anything new, as I still have books at home that need to be read and a large stack of magazines. Here is what Baby girl picked (actually, she threw a lot of books at me at once and I picked these three):

Beach Babies Wear Shades by Michelle Sinclair Colman is a very cute, posh book. The illustrations are really lovely and the text is simple.  However, it does use slang and my child didn't know anything it was talking about.  I read it through to her twice before she turned away and didn't pick it up again all week.  

Maisy's Fire Engine by Lucy Cousins is part of a series of books about Maisy.  These books are simple and really wonderful.  I have used them in storytimes over and over again.  Kids really love them.  Baby Girl also loved this one.  I read it to her many times.  She really enjoyed it when I made cat sounds when reading about the cat that was stuck.  She also tried to eat this book, which I discouraged.  Don't eat the library books.  

Slow Snail by Mary Murphy is a great book about the adventures of a snail.  It's doesn't really have a plot, because it's a snail.  The great thing about this book is you get to follow the line of the path of the snail with your finger.  Baby Girl loved it.  She had me read it a few times and then looked at it on her own several times.

I finished The Stay At Home Survival Guide. It wasn't so much a guide as it was a book on Melisa Stanton's life. She claimed to have done a survey of stay at home moms, but I saw no scientific data or practical advice in the book. It seems like she asked her friends some questions and they had s conversation. She didn't include what questions she asked, how many people she asked to interview, or any demographic information. What I got from the book was that if I'm not careful, my husband will cheat on me. Not really a satisfying read.

Sick baby

When I became a stay at home mom, 2 weeks ago, I really thought I would have tons of time to do things.  It's amazing to me how much time gets sucked away.  Baby Girl was sick last week, so we skipped the baby storytime.  We waited until she didn't have a fever and went to regular storytime.  She loved the puppets, but she had a hard time with the songs and rhymes.  We did the hokey pokey and I had to hold her as she can't stand up well on her own yet.  She also had a hard time sitting in one place.  Next time, I'll know better.

Books for me:

I finally finished The Round House by Louise Erdrich.  It is about a 13 year old boy during the summer before he enters high school.  During the summer his mother is raped and the consequences of that are heart breaking.  It made for a very interesting book club discussion.  I did not like the book and I'm not sure you are supposed to like it.  It has many elements in it that spark anger and hurt.  It has a twist at the end, that turns out you knew about in the first chapter.  The book made me mad and it made me think.  Good literature should do that.

I picked this book up thinking it would be a good introduction to being a stay at home mother.  To be honest, I really have no clue how to do anything.  I'll let you know how it goes.  With the book, not with the stay at home mom thing.  If I don't do that right, the house will burn down and you will see it on the news.

When I was working as a librarian, I recommended this book to new parents.  I love it.  Each page has a new game that you can play with your baby.  It's divided up by age, so it's very easy to find which games are too advanced and which are just right for your child.  Right now, Baby Girl loves the mirror game and the shakers.  Everything in the book is easy and cheap to do.  

This is what Baby Girl picked this week:

I let my daughter pick out her own books.  When I try to force something, she isn't interested and it usually ends with her screaming at me.  That being said, this is one of my favorite books!  I was very happy to find it in the board books at the library.  We have it in paperback, but she can't really deal with paper pages yet.  Ellen Stoll Walsh tells the story of three mice that find some paint.  They think it's for them, so the climb in the paint and accidentally make their own colors.  It's a fun story with bright colors.

Again, I was surprised to see this book in the board books!  This is a great story about sharing.  It's very funny.  The narrator tells the mouse that a big hungry bear is coming to get the strawberry he just picked!  The mouse tries his best to hide the strawberry, but the best solution is to eat it before the bear finds them.

Before I begin to review this book, I want to make it clear that we are not Jewish.  We actually aren't very religious at all, but that really has nothing to do with anything.  I say this because I don't want you to think I picked out this book and my "I let her pick things" is just a fib.  It's  not.  She totally picked this one and has me read it at least 3 times a day.  It's a very cute book.  It goes through every day of Hanukkah and the different activities you can engage in during the Festival of Lights.  

Music:

We kept the CDs we checked out last week.  She loved the jazz so much, I couldn't take it back yet.  This week, we will pick up some new discs.  Suggestions are welcome!